Our newly adopted daughter is full of energy and life. Since she has only been with us for three months, we do not yet feel comfortable placing her in the church nursery. Therefore, we gather up three kids for church, and Chad and I swap back and forth taking our youngest out of our Sunday School class or church service when she gets too rowdy.
A couple of weeks ago, Chad took her out during Sunday School so it was my turn to take her out during the church service. As she toddled around, I watched. As she climbed the stairs, I followed ready to catch. As she explored every inch of space, she babbled.
After church that day, Chad asked, “Did you have her on the stairs that lead up to the balcony?” I said, “Yes, I figured those few steps should be okay since there was a landing between those stairs and more stairs. Why?” Chad replied, “Because I heard her. I noticed a babble coming from upstairs and thought, “Yep, she’s mine!” I giggled and yet pondered the amazing truth that a parent knows his or child simply by the sound of a little child’s babble. Even after a mere twelve weeks, our little one’s sounds are engraved in our hearts. Secure in our arms as we now know her.
Today I read Galatians 4:9 and here Paul says, “But now that you know God – or rather are known by God…” I stopped reading and reflected on the amazing truth, satisfying comfort and thought-provoking discomfort this small phrase invoked in me. I invite you into the journey I experienced this morning – with one simple phrase.
Recognize the amazing Truth. Just as we can pick out both the voices and cries of our little ones from a crowd, so God knows us. Sometimes I just chuckle when I hear my kids’ sounds – my 7 year old’s strong voice as she plays or helps the other kids, my five year old’s excitement as he shares a new idea, or my 18 month old’s babbles and gurgles as she tries to communicate. What does my voice sound like to God? Does my voice sound of strength and help, excitement, or delightful determination? God can pick my voice out of a crowded world because God knows me.
But God does not just know my voice; He knows my thoughts, my patterns, my hidden gifts, my budding talents, how my personality operates, my weaknesses, my everything. I do not know any of my children like this, and yet in the way I do, they can experience security. How much more can I delight in the security of being known by God!
Oh, Lord, help me recognize the truth of my security in being known by You!
Rest in the satisfying comfort. The world is a pretty scary place. The rampant evil and the terrifying news reminds us of the “powers of this dark world” (Eph. 6:12). But in the midst of this epic battle between the Kingdom of God (light) and the kingdom of the Enemy (darkness), Jesus Christ WINS and we play on the winning team! God sees, hears, and remembers. He promises that He will never forsake His own. Jesus promises, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).
When I pick them my older kids up from an activity, I notice their eyes make connection to mine. As I hug them, I feel them lean in to me. It’s like when they are finally with me, they fully relax. I can peer at them from my rear-view mirror and whether talking or quiet, they look at rest.
In a much more profound way, Jesus promises to never leave us. At any point of any day, I can seek to make connection with him and lean into him. Jesus simply and profoundly knows me and in that place, there is satisfying comfort.
Lord, please help me consistently connect to you, depend on you, and lean into your ever-abiding presence.
Engage in the thought-provoking discomfort. Have you ever realized that God’s Word has this ability to both comfort and challenge simultaneously? Don’t you love/hate that? I will be reading along and think, “Oh, yes!, thank you, thank you, wonderful…. uh, ouch… ooh… goodness….ugh. thank you, oh yes!, oh my!” Yeah, you’ve probably experienced that too!
This thought, “known by God” caused that double whammy of “This is amazing!” to “Oh my! What does He see?” And my spirit with dread said, “Shine your light Jesus on my inner heart.” But in the silence of inviting God to shine His holy light on my heart, He helped me to know myself more but also the person I can be with his consistent pruning and molding. And I must say it delights me that He desires to spend the time shaping me so that I can better reflect His image in this world.
Lord, help me welcome discomfort as you shape me to look more like you.
I looked at my kids’ hands last night and said, “If I saw 100 kids’ hands, I believe I could pick out your hands. If I heard 100 kids’ voice, I believe I could choose yours.” God too can pick out our hands and voices as individuals in this world that holds over seven billion people.
I find incredible, amazing, and comforting security in knowing I am known by God. His knowing of me wants me to know him too. I want God to say of me someday “This daughter of mine also knew me.”
Join in the Conversation: Today, do you find yourself delighting in the security of being known by God? Do you find yourself hungry to really know God as well?
